Thursday 26th October
Guadeloupe
After a little nap, we go to shore to check in and to get the Torqueedo, our outboard, to the shop. It’s been playing up for a while. Ian thinks that a wire is disconnected between the battery and the engine. We have made do with sello-taping it in place but it is still under warranty so we should have it checked out. Fortunately, the only service dealer in the Caribbean’s is in Pointe a Pitre and we have been in touch with him. He reckons that he could fix it in 24 hours. Still we don’t want to take the risk of not having it fixed by the time Steve and Francesca arrive. We’ll definitely need it then.
There is the most amazing vessel in the marina, Race for Water. A kind of catamaran, no sail and huge solar panels on the top. Gong around the world to sensitise people about ecological issues.
Friday 27th October
Cleaning and sorting the boat out to receive our guests arriving on the 1st November. Fortunately the weather is dreadful, so we don’t mind being down below.
Saturday 28th October
We got a phone call this morning, we can come and pick up the torqueedo. When we get there, Pascal announce that there is nothing wrong with the cable. He has not taken off the tape so obviously, when we do the outboard stops working. Back to the drawing board, he will have to change the cable and yes it will be taken care of by the warranty and since he needs to open the engine would we want to have it serviced (change seals and check everything)? It should be services every 3 years or every 300 hours. We think that we only had it running for about 150 hours but it makes sense to have it done now. By the time we come back later in the afternoon, he tells us that the engine hours are not only the hours that the engine is in use, but the hours that the engine is in the water… just as well we had it done, it was well over the 300 mark. The seals where in a poor state. However, Pascal was very good at giving us tips to ensure that we take care of it properly. Very useful. A hundred euro lighter, we need a pick up. Ice cream it is!
Sunday 29th October & Monday 30th October
More cleaning and sorting out, much better already. We put Ian up the mast to fix the anemometer. And I spent the afternoon sewing zips on things. We would have gone out if the weather was better but as it is, I don’t fancy getting wet. Better getting ready, we only have 2 days left and we’ll need to do the washing and the last of the shopping for fresh stuff before Steve and Francesca arrive on Wednesday. We’ll go in the marina tomorrow….showers!